A. Wayne Sampson, executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, a lobbying group made up of top law-enforcement officers across the state, agreed.

The law introduced what he called "a number of unanticipated consequences."

The decriminalization law came about after voters in November overwhelmingly approved Question 2, which is also known as "An Act Establishing a Sensible State of Marijuana Policy." It decriminalizes possession of marijuana, but only for small amounts of an ounce or less.

The drug is still illegal. But, anyone found with an ounce or less is to be fined $100 and spared arrest. People under age 18 also are required to attend drug-awareness classes.

People found with more than an ounce can be arrested and charged with possession of marijuana. If the amount is much more than an ounce, the charge could be possession with intent to distribute. A conviction for either offense carries a sentence of up to two years in jail.

Since the law took effect, Sampson said the association, based in Grafton, has received many, many calls from departments seeking clarification.

The wording of the law and the "administrative things" behind it are in dire need of retooling, and police have many legitimate concerns, he said.

Because police were uniformly opposed to Question 2, they are now unfairly accused of dragging their feet with enforcement, Sampson said. While police still disagree with the law, he said, they do realize it is the law and will enforce it. "As with anything else, when a statute changes, we've got to work our way through it."

The first citation Springfield issued wasn't part of a plan, according to Delaney.

Narcotics detectives arrested Jose Burgos, 29, of Holyoke, in a parking lot off Liberty Street on charges of trafficking in cocaine and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

Police found Burgos with 119 rocks of crack cocaine and 45 bags of heroin in his car, Delaney said. And, when detectives found a small amount of marijuana in the man's pocket - perhaps enough for two rolled cigarettes, they also wrote a $100 citation, the sergeant added.

They used a standard citation book that Springfield police use to write tickets for motor vehicle violations, littering or other city ordinance violations, he said.

In the week since, there have been other instances in the Pioneer Valley where the new law has been enforced, and at least one where it wasn't.

A few hours after Springfield's milestone on Jan. 2, state police stopped a man in Hardwick and fined him after finding six marijuana cigarettes in his car.

South Hadley issued its first citation during a Jan. 4 traffic stop for an expired inspection sticker. The officer issued a citation when he smelled marijuana in the car as the 25-year-old driver rolled down the window, police said.

West Springfield police, a few days after the new law went in place, had their first brush with its enforcement - sort of.

Officers found a teenager with a small amount of marijuana. The drug was confiscated and the teen's parents called, as stipulated by the law, but no citation was issued, according to a detective.

West Side police could not issue a citation because there are as yet no citations forms for them to issue, said Burke.

The West Springfield bylaws allow citations for having open containers of beer in a public park, but nothing on marijuana, he said.

Police departments across the state have voiced concerns about several aspects of the law and its enforcement. They have questioned whether people openly smoking marijuana are required to give their names to police, a critical step in issuing a citation.

There are also procedural questions about probable cause, evidence collection and whether a marijuana citation can bar someone from obtaining a firearms permit, the way an arrest for marijuana does.

Area police chiefs are consulting with officials with their district attorneys' offices and the courts to plan in-service training to bring officers up to speed on the law.

Ferraro said he wants to propose Chicopee alderman establish a city ordinance that would create a $300 fine - in addition to the $100 possession fine - for anyone caught smoking marijuana in public.

In Holyoke, no tickets have yet to be issued, but police there are predicting it will be difficult to enforce.

"It's horrible," said Capt. Arthur R. Monfette. "It's a very poorly written law. They should have sat down with police officers before they wrote the law."

Being first to enforce it does not mean the Springfield police understands the law any better than anyone else, Delaney said.

He said the wording leaves a number of things in limbo.

For example, he said, the law stipulates that police are to confiscate the marijuana when they issue a citation, but it's not clear what police are supposed to do with it after that.

Is the marijuana supposed to be logged in as evidence? But if there is no crime, no arrest and no trial, what exactly is it evidence of, Delaney asked. Then, there's the question of what to do with the seized marijuana.

"What do you do with the drugs? No one thought that out ahead of time," he said.

The state Attorney General's Office has directed the state Executive Office of Public Safety to work with police departments about their concerns. Terrell W. Harris, public safety communications director, said he doubts police problems with the law are as widespread as portrayed in the media since he's not heard from any departments directly. "They're not be beating down our door," he said.

"We're happy to clarify Question 2, not only for the police but for everyone," Harris said.